History

HISTORY

Plum Parenting opened in 2007 and since then over 700 families nationwide and internationally have benefited from this unique service. Parents receive one-on-one, in-depth mentoring sessions, covering all ages and issues.

From 2009 to 2012 Plum Parenting was based at the Plum Garden Parenting Centre in Brooklyn, Wellington (see slideshow below). During this time, Mary facilitated playgroups with an emphasis on parent education.

In 2012 Mary embarked on a two-year road trip around New Zealand, in response to requests from parents and schools, offering lectures and mentoring in their communities.

On return to Wellington in 2014 Mary re-established her practice with a full focus on individual parent mentoring, deepening her knowledge and continuing to hone precise tools to help parents and teachers.

now

At the end of 2018 Mary relocated to Masterton but continued to travel to Wellington weekly to visit clients. She began devoting more time to refining the Plum Parenting foundational concepts in preparation for the eventual release of an online video course.

Images from the Plum Garden Playgroups 2009-2012

We are so lucky to have had Mary Willow’s help! We first met Mary when our eldest daughter started playgroup. She set us up with all the tools we needed to tackle periods of change from the terrible 2’s to the 9 year old phase, plus parental break up, shifting town sagas and Earthquake drama, Yikes! Poor kids!!!

We have heard Mary speak publicly many times, watched her in action with our children at kindy and playgroup and had individual counselling sessions with her. Now, when I get stuck on a parenting issue I just find a quiet moment and think ‘What would Mary say in this situation?’ and usually some brilliant Mary-like, simple and logical answer will come. And, if not I go back to Mary’s notes and find the answers there. Mary has been my guardian angel and I know my girls and I would be in a very different place right now if she wasn’t a part of our lives.